Red Champion project going great guns
EVERY JOURNEY has an end but the "Red Champion" project, initiated by AP Honda to develop Thai football at the basic level, continues to grow strong as it celebrates its sixth year.
The bike-maker had joined hands with the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC), offering talented young Thais a chance to earn berths for training stints at Manchester United.
AP Honda, which is the official partner of the United, took 30 young Thais, aged between 13 and 18, from six schools in the country to train with Manchester United soccer school last week. The Red Champion project stresses on basic skills with each team consisting of five members competing in five skills tests - bouncing, dribbling, passing, heading, and shooting the ball.
AP Honda vice president Suchart Arunsaengroj said the project has been a success because of marked improvement in total scores. The participants are getting better skills-wise as the average score or total scores of the present were compared with those in the last six years, he added.
In the early years, the competitors averaged around 200-300 out of 500 but now the score is between 400-500, he said.
Acquiring basic skills is more important for an aspiring footballer than playing in team competitions, as it would give them a head start in becoming successful professional footballers, Suchart said.
"I'm not day-dreaming. This project may not produce players who will take Thailand to the World Cup Finals but I strongly believe that the skills they learn will help them become good professional footballers. I want all Thai kids to realise this fact," he said.
Suchart said he was glad to see players fully focused and conscious about learning basic skills. Many of the players, who attended the Red Champion project in the last six years, have started playing in the Thai professional league, he said and added that AP Honda will continue to support the project by making a few adjustments to the competition.
For some of the talented boys, the trip to Manchester and training at the Red Devils school was a dream come true. They said the training has inspired them to take up football as a profession.
Sithichai Simma, a 16-year-old student at Nathawee Witthayakom School in Songkhla, said he was told to enjoy football and think before kicking the ball.
"It was good because the training was not too serious but fun, substantive and made us very knowledgeable," he said.
"It was an eye-opener for me. I'm so proud that I could improve my performance," he said.
Sithichai said he learned a lot about pressing, defending and tackling during the five-day camp. He realised that Thai players were at a disadvantage when fighting for the ball with stronger English boys because of their smaller build. He said he would continue to practice, improve his physical fitness and share the knowledge he had gained with players in Songkhla when he returns home.
Silvestre's valuable tips
Kraiwat Khamrhun, a student of Bangkok Sport School, who won the outstanding footballer award during the trip, said playing with United school boys has been a eureka moment of sorts. "I will apply those techniques at home. I will improve my skills and follow my dream of becoming a professional football," he said.
The young Thai footballers got a chance to pick the brain of former Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre. The Frenchman gave some valuable tips and taught tactics to the Thais before they took the field in the match against Manchester Youth team. Silvestre said the Thai players distinguished themselves and will be taking home a lifetime of memories from the trip. Speaking during the certificate presentation ceremony at the Old Trafford Stadium, Silvestre advised the players to develop their skills and become good footballers.
"You need to know how to receive and pass the ball, control the ball and pass it again. The ball will be your best friend. The next level is anticipation of what's next after passing the ball and before you dribble," he said.
He also shared the hard times he went through before becoming a professional footballer. "The important thing is not to give up and I never gave up," he said.
Manchester United soccer school's Robin van der Laarn, who coached the Thai players, said he has seen a good mix of very talented, respectful, and happy young men. "They have worked very hard during the week and are very coachable. The boys learned how to play the Manchester United way," he said.
The six winners from the five regions this year were: 2016 champions Thanomratbamrung School from Tak who posted the highest score in battle category and took the HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn trophy; Ban Bung [Manoon Witthayakarn] School from Chon Buri; Bangkok Sport School from Bangkok and peripheral area; Laharnsai Ratchadapisek School from Buri Ram; Harntao-rangsi Prachasan School from Phatthalung; and Nathawee Witthayakom School from Songkhla, which was specially selected from the three southernmost provinces.
